Process programming timer



March 19, 1963 o. F. PALMER 3,081,688

PROCESS PROGRAMMING TIMER Original Filed Aug. 22, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 1Fig.

OSMOND E I PALMER INVENTOR.

BY WWW/M A TTO/PIVEYS March 19, 1,963 0. F. PALMER PROCESS PROGRAMMINGTIMER Original Filed Aug. 22, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PALMER INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS March 19, 1963 O. F. PALMER PROCESS PROGRAMMING TIMER OriginalFiled Aug. 22, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 osM0/v0 Ir" "PALMER INVENTOR. BY

ATTORNEYS NN Q Kw mw Q m w w v Q m k @U m .009 0000 0 000000000000000000 fi fi H flooooooooooo V0. L No 0 8 Wk F L 0 L 6 I o Noll 0 0 \0IL United States Patent 3,081,688 PROCESS PROGRAMMING T Osmond F.Palmer, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester,N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Original application Aug. 22, 1957,Ser. No. 679,554, now Patent No. 2,987,711, dated June 6, 1961. Dividedand this application Sept. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 56,737

3 Claims. (Cl. 95-89) The present invention concerns semiautomaticphotofinishing apparatus, and more particularly concerns a programmingand timing circuit for such apparatus.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 679,554 filedAugust 22, 1957, now Patent No. 2,987,71ll.

Complex photofinishing processes, such as [for the development ofcertain types of color negatives or prints, frequently involve largenumbers of processing steps during which the negatives or prints areimmersed in various solutions for periods of time that must becontrolled with accuracy. In small commercial processing installationsof this kind, where the cost of fully automatic processing equipment isnot justified, the transfer of negatives or prints from one processingstation to the next is done manually. If the processing of severalbatches of negatives or prints in the same apparatus is overlapped, suchthat the several batches are in diiferent stages of processing at agiven instant, the demands on an operators attention are severe. In thepast, these demands have been compounded by also requiring the operatorto attend the replenishment of the various processing solutions as theybecome depleted;

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to displaysignals that are visible to the operator of photofinishing equipment,identifying each successive processing step that is to be performed bythe operator and the proper time at which it is to be performed.

It is a further object of the invention to warn the operator, by meansof an audible signal, that a next visual signal will appear at theexpiration of a predetermined time interval.

Further objects of the invention are:

To automatically replenish solutions at appropriate times in processingapparatus;

To selectively program indicating and replenishing means for applyingthe same to any of a plurality of different photofinishing processes.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a general view of a typical processing installation employingthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a replenishment unit;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional side view of a valve in thereplenishment unit;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the four-port replenishment valveshowing a solenoid control thereof; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are schematic wiring diagrams of the programming andtiming circuit of the present invention.

In General The invention is illustrated in the environment of aphotofinishing process having fourteen stations, four of which are in adarkened room, the other ten stations being in an illuminated room.Referring to FIG. 1 the darkened room is shown at 30 and the illuminatedroom at 32, with the processing stations being shown generally at 34. Afirst series of indicating lamps shown at 36 are arranged on a wall ofroom 30 and correspond in number to the processing stations in thatroom. A seeond series of indicating lamps, shown at 38, are arranged ona wall of room 32 and correspond in number, preferably, to the totalnumber of processing stations, i.e., fourteen in the illustratedexample. Lamps 36 and 38 are normally de-energized, but are energized ina predetermined sequence by means of a circuit described below toindicate to the operator that corresponding processing steps should thenbe performed.

Lamp and Buzzer Programming Circuit The circuit for sequentiallyenergizing lamps 36 and 38 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and includes asource of AC. power comprising a pair of terminals 40 and 42. A startswitch 44, when closed, supplies power from terminal 40 to a motor 50having a shaft which is geared in conventional manner to turn slowly,for example at one rotation per minute. A cam 52 on the motor shaftcloses a switch 54 temporarily during each rotation of the shaft andcompletes a circuit from terminal 40 through switch 44, a resistor 56, arectifier 58, a lead 60 a lead 62, switch 54, a lead 64, a coil 66 andterminal 42. It will be seen that the circuit through coil 66 isprovided with direct current due to the presence of rectifier 58, whichis connected through a filtering capacitor 59 directly to terminal 42.By means of the circuit described above, coil 66 is energized onceduring each rotation of the motor shaft. Coil 66 operates a pair ofconventional stepping switches 68 and 69 each time it is energized, andadvances wiper arms 72 and 98. of the respective stepping switches. Eachstepping switch is illustrated as having twenty contacts, although thatnumber may be varied in accordance with the requirements of a particularembodiment of the invention.

The contacts of stepping switch 68 are connected individually through acable 74 to corresponding terminals of a socket S1 (FIGS. 5 and 6), andthe terminals of socket S1 are selectively connectable to the terminalsof a plug P1. In turn, the terminals of plug P1 are connected through acable 78 and through the respective lamps 36 and 38 to a power source 76(FIG. 6). Lamps 36 are connected in parallel with the correspondinglamps 38. Wiper arm 72 of switch 68 is grounded; therefore, each time itadvances it closes the circuit from source 76 through the selected lampor lamps to ground. The plug and socket connections shown in FIG. 6 aremerely illustrative, it being understood that lamps 36 and 38 may beenergized in any desired sequence by appropriately reconnecting thecontacts P1 to those of socket S1.

A pair of buzzers 80 and 82, one located in each of the two processingrooms 30 and 32 (FIG. 1), are energized simultaneously a few secondsprior to each energization of the stepping switches, and thereby warnthe operator that a next processing step must be performed soon. Theapparatus for energizing buzzers 80 and 82 includes a second cam 84(FIG. 5) mounted on, the shaft of motor 50. Cam 84 closes a switch 86temporarily during each rotation of the motor shaft and a few secondsprior to the closure of switch 54- by the cam 52. The closure of switch86 completes a circuit from ground through a lead 92, socket S1 (-FIG.6), plug P1, buzzers 80 and 82 which are connected in parallel with eachother, plug P1, socket S1, a lead 94 and the secondary winding of atransformer 90 (FIG. 5). The primary winding of transformer 90 isconnected across power terminals 40 and 42 through switch 44.

Resetting Circuits The present invention includes means for rapidlyenergizing coil 66 to thereby rapidly advance the wiper arms of thestepping switches to their initial positions. The resetting may be doneautomatically after arm 72 of stepping switch 68 has traversed all ofits contacts that are connected to lamps 36 and 38. Alternatively, theresetting may be done manually, regardless of the position of thestepping switch arms.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, each of the steppingswitches 68 and 96 is provided with twenty contacts, whereas onlyfourteen contacts on switch 68 are employed for energizing lamps 36 and38.. It would therefore be undesirable to wait for a full rotation ofthe shaft of motor 50 to advance wiper arm 72 past each of the unusedcontacts of switch 68. Accordingly, stepping switch 96 is employedduring automat c resetting for rapidly energizing the stepping switchcoil 66 when the wiper arms 72 and 98 reach their respectivefifteenthcontacts. This rapidly advances the wiper arms to their initialpositions where they engage the respective first contacts of thestepping switches. In the general case, where m contacts are provided oneach stepping switch and n of these contacts are used on switch 68 forenergizing the'lamps, then the final m-n contacts are swept rapidly forautomatic resetting.

The circuit for automatically resetting the stepping switches includes anormally closed interrupter switch 106 connecting the junction of coil66 and lead 64 to the final contact, i.e., the twentieth contact, ofswitch 96 through a lead 104. Switch 106 is opened by conventional meanswhenever coil 66 is energized. The contacts of switch 96 are connectedthrough a cable 100 to the respective contacts of a socket S2 whichcooperates with a plug P2 as best shown in FIG. 7. The final sixcontacts of switch 96, or in the general case, the final m-n contacts,are connected together by means of the selective Wiring of the contactsof socket S2 to those of plug P2 and are therefore electricallyidentical. When wiper arm 98 of stepping switch 96 reaches the fifteenthcontact of that switch, a circuit is completed from terminal 40 (FIG.through switch 44, resistor 56, rectifier 58, a lead 110, wiper arm 98,the fifteenth contact of switch 96, socket S2 (FIG. 7), plug P2, socketS2, the twentieth contact of switch 96, lead 104 (FIG. 5), switch 106,coil 66 and terminal 42. When the interrupter switch 106 is opened bythe energization of coil 66, it de-energizes that coil to reclose switch106 and, in turn, re-energize coil 66, thereby completing the abovecircuit repetitively to step the wiper arms 72 and 98 until they rest ontheir respective first contacts and break the circuit between lead 104and socket S2.

For manual resetting, a push-button switch 108 is provided to connectthe junction of the interrupter switch 106 and lead 64 directly to lead110, bypassing stepping switch 96 altogether. Therefore, as switch 108is closed, coil "66 is energized through the interrupter switch 106regardless of the position of wiper arm 98. Switch 108 may be releasedmanually and thereby opened any time after wiper arm 98 has reached thefifteenth contact of switch 96, at which time the automatic resettingcircuit described above becomes efiective and steps the wiper arms 72and 98 to their initial positions, regardless of the condition of themanual switch 108.

Replenishment Control The present invention provides for the automaticreplenishment of solutions used at the various processing stations. Thereplenishing apparatus for a typical station is shown in FIGS. 2-4.

Referring to FIG. 2, a tank 112 constitutes a source of a solution fromwhich a pair of intermediate containers 114 and 116 are refilled, asrequired, through a valve 118. The internal construction of valve 118 isshown in FIG. 3. This valve has four ports 122, 124, 126 and 128 whichare connected respectively to tank 112 (FIG. 2), containers 114 and 116and an outlet .pipe 120 leading to a processing tank at the particularstation. A porting member 130 (FIG. 3) has two positions. In theposition shown in FIG. 3 member 130 connects the inlet port 122 to port,126' for container 114 and therefore refills that container. In thisposition, member 130 also connects port 128 for container 116 to theoutlet port 124 and therefore supplies solution to the associatedprocessing tank from the latter container. When the position of member130 is reversed, it connects port 122 to port 128, refilling container116, and connects port 126 to the outlet port 122, supplying solution tothe processing equipment from container 114.

The porting member 130 of valve 118 is rigidly secured to a controlhandle 132 (FIG. 4) which has a pin and slot connection with the plunger134 of a solenoid 136. When solenoid 136 is energized, it moves handle132 to the right (as viewed in FIG. 4), thereby reversing the positionof the porting member 130 (FIG. 3). Deenergization of solenoid 136causes handle 132 and member 130 to be returned to their illustratedpositions by conventional spring means not shown.

The circuit shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes means for energizing andde-energizing solenoid 136 during successive cycles of wiper arm 72 ofstepping switch 68. The series of contacts of stepping switch 68 areconnected to a socket S3 through a cable 75 in parallel with cable 74.Socket S3 cooperates with a plug P3 as shown best in FIG. 6, such thatany contact of plug P3 is selectively connectable to any contact ofsocket S3. A respective circuit constituting a portion of each automaticreplenishmerit unit has an input relay coil A connected to a selectedcontact of plug P3 and power terminal 140 having the same potential assource 76. For clarity of illustration only one coil A is shown in FIGS.5 and 6. It will be seen that the various coils A can be operated in anydesired sequence by the selective wiring of plug P3 and socket S3.

In each replenishment circuit a relay coil B (FIG. 5) and a relaycoil Care connected in series with each other and in series with a first powerterminal 138, a currentlimiting resistor 142, a pair of normally opencontacts B1 which are closed by energization of relay coil B, and asecond power terminal 140. Since contacts B1 are normally open, coils Band C are normally de-energized. The junction of coil B and contacts B1is normally connected through a lead 144 and a pair of double-throwcontacts C1 to one side of a pair of contacts Al, the other side ofcontacts A1 normally being connected through a pair of double-throwcontacts C2 and a lead 146 to terminal 140, bypassing coil C. ContactsA1 are normally open and are closed in response to energization of coilA. ContactsCI and C2 are reversed by the energization of coil C. Whencontacts C1 are reversed they connect the junction of resistor 142 andcoil B to contacts A1 through a lead 148, bypassing coil B. Whencontacts C2 are reversed they connect contacts A1 to the junction ofcontacts B1 and coil C, thereby placing coil C in the power circuit. 7

The control solenoid 136 for valve 118 (FIG. 4) is connected in serieswith terminals 138 and (FIG. 5) and with a normally open pair ofcontacts B2 which are closed in response to the energization of coil B.Successive energization of coil A causes solenoid 136 to be alternatelyenergized and de-ene-rgized in the following manner.

Assuming that the replenishment circuit stands as shown in FIG. 5 withcoils A, B and C and solenoid 136 deenergized, a first pulse applied tocoil A energizes that coil to close contacts A1 and complete the circuitfrom terminal 138 through resistor 142, coil B, lead 144, contacts C1,A1 and C2 and lead 146 to terminal 140, thereby energizing coil B andclosing contacts B1 and B2. Closure of contacts B2 energizes solenoid136. Closure of contacts B1 completes a circuit from terminal 138through resistor 142, coil B, contacts B1, and coil C to terminal 140.However, since coil C is still bypassed through lead 146, it is notenergized at this time. When coil A is de-energized by the subsidence ofthe pulse applied thereto, contacts A1 open to break the circuitbypassing coil C and the latter coil is energized through resistor 142,coil B and contacts B1. Energization of coil C reverses contacts C1 andC2. Reversal of contacts C1 bypasses coil B through lead 148; however,contacts A1 remain open to maintain the bypass circuit open and coil Bremains energized through resistor 142, contacts B1 and coil C, whichconstitute a holding circuit for coil B. Therefore, contacts B2 remainclosed and solenoid 136 remains energized. The reversal of contacts C2connects the open contacts A1 to lead 140 for partially completing asecond circuit through coil C.

When a second pulse is applied to coil A, as occurs during the nextcycle of stepping switch 68, contacts A1 are closed to establish acircuit around coil B and through coil C, this circuit extending throughresistor 142, lead 148, contacts C1, A1 and C2 and lead 150. Coil B istherefore de-energized to open contacts B1 and B2, thereby de-energizingsolenoid 136 and opening one of the two circuits through coil C. Whenthe second pulse applied to coil A subsides, contacts A1 are reopenedand interrupt the second circuit through coil C, thereby de-energizingthe latter coil to again reverse contacts C1 and C2. The second reversalof contacts C1 and C2 restores the entire circuit to the initialcondition shown in FIG. 5.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the replenishingcircuit operates in binary fashion and that numerous other binarycircuits could be employed in its stead without departing from the scopeof the invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination comprising: astepping switch having a wiper arm and a series of m contacts; a coiloperable in response to successive energizations thereof to advance saidwiper arm into cooperative engagement with said contacts; means forrepetitively energizing said coil; a series of p processing stations,each processing station including (a) a switching circuit having twostable operating states and adapted to have its state reversed inresponse to each application of electric power thereto, (b) a controldevice having two operating positions, (c) a connection between theswitching circuit and the control device for reversing the position ofthe latter in response to each reversal of operating state of theformer, (d) a tank of solution, (e) a pair of intermediate containers,(f) an outlet, (g) a Valve adapted to selectively interconnect the tankto either one of said intermediate containers and the remainingcontainer to said outlet, and (h) a connection between said controldevice and said valve for reversing said valve interconnections inresponse to each reversal of said control device; with manually settablemeans for selectively interconnecting the various contacts of saidstepping switch with the respective switching circuits of the variousprocessing stations; and means connected to said stepping switch wiperarm for applying electric power through said arm to the successivecontacts engaged thereby.

2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein said switching circuitincludes: an input relay for receiving electric power from theassociated contact of said stepping switch; second and third relaysconnected in series with each other; electric power terminals and afirst normally open switch connected in series with said second andthird relays said first switch being closed during energization of saidsecond relay; means including a second normally open switch closedduring energization of said input relay; a pair of double-throw switcheseach having two closed positions reversible during energization of saidthird relay; leads interconnecting the second and third relays, thesecond normally open switch and the doublethrow switches to establish acircuit from said power terminals through the second relay and bypassingthe third relay when the double-throw switches are in one position andto establish a circuit from the power terminals through the third relayand bypassing the second relay when the double-throw switches are in theother position; and a third normally open switch and a solenoid inseries with each other and with said power terminals, said thirdnormally open switch being closed during energization of said secondrelay, with a mechanical linkage between said solenoid and said controldevice. I

3. The device defined in claim 1, wherein m: p, and wherein said meansfor repetitively energizing said coil includes a power source, anormally open switch eifective, when closed, to connect said coil inseries with said power source, and a timing cam for automatically andperiodically closing said normally open switch; with: a second steppingswitch having a wiper arm and a series of m cont acts, the series ofcontacts in each of the first and second stepping switches having aninitial contact and a final contact, said coil being operable inresponse to suecessive energizations thereof to advance the wiper arm ofthe second stepping switch into cooperative engagement with the variouscontacts of said second stepping switch; a normally closed interrupterswitch opened in response to each energization of said coil andconnecting said coil to the final contact of said second steppingswitch; a connection from the wiper arm of the second stepping switch tosaid power source in parallel with said normally open switch; and a plugand socket device for selectively interconnecting the final contact ofthe second stepping switch to the various other contacts thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,450,023 Edelman Mar. 27, 1923 1,623,788 Hoxie Apr. '5, 1927 1,965,504Marcon July 3, 1934 2,764,074- Rosenberg Sept. 25, 1956

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: ASTEPPING SWITCH HAVING A WIPER ARM AND A SERIES OF M CONTACTS; A COILOPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO SUCCESSIVE ENERGIZATIONS THEREOF TO ADVANCE SAIDWIPER ARM INTO COOPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONTACTS; MEANS FORREPETITIVELY ENERGIZING SAID COIL; A SERIES OF P PROCESSING STATIONS,EACH PROCESSING STATION INCLUDING (A) A SWITCHING CIRCUIT HAVING TWOSTABLE OPERATING STATES AND ADAPTED TO HAVE ITS STATE REVERSED INRESPONSE TO EACH APPLICATION OF ELECTRIC POWER THERETO, (B) A CONTROLDEVICE HAVING TWO OPERATING POSITIONS, (C) A CONNECTION BETWEEN THESWITCHING CIRCUIT AND THE CONTROL DEVICE FOR REVERSING THE POSITION OFTHE LATTER IN RESPONSE TO EACH REVERSAL OF OPERATING STATE OF THEFORMER, (D) A TANK OF SOLUTION, (E) A PAIR OF INTERMEDIATE CONTAINERS,(F) AN OUTLET, (G) A VALVE ADAPTED TO SELECTIVELY INTERCONNECT THE TANKTO EITHER ONE OF SAID INTERMEDIATE CONTAINERS AND THE REMAININGCONTAINER TO SAID OUTLET, AND (H) A CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID CONTROLDEVICE AND SAID VALVE FOR REVERSING SAID VALVE INTERCONNECTIONS INRESPONSE TO EACH REVERSAL OF SAID CONTROL DEVICE; WITH MANUALLY SETTABLEMEANS FOR SELECTIVELY INTERCONNECTING THE VARIOUS CONTACTS OF SAIDSTEPPING SWITCH WITH THE RESPECTIVE SWITCHING CIRCUITS OF THE VARIOUSPROCESSING STATIONS: AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID STEPPING SWITCH WIPERARM FOR APPLYING ELECTRIC POWER THROUGH SAID ARM TO THE SUCCESSIVECONTACTS ENGAGED THEREBY.